Lakers Send DAngelo Russell Packing In Shocking Trade Move

With the NBA trade deadline just over a month away, two teams have started their shopping early. The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets reportedly agreed on a trade that will send D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn and Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to Los Angeles.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported terms of the deal on Sunday. According to the report, the deal will see Russell returning to the Nets, a team where he had the best stretch of his career. Russell is the biggest name in the trade, and this deal represents a homecoming for the 28-year-old guard.

After playing his first two seasons with the Lakers, Russell was traded to the Nets back in 2017. He went on to have the best stretch of his career, culminating in his only All-Star appearance in 2019. Russell has since bounced around the league, with stops in Minnesota, Golden State and Los Angeles again before his upcoming second stint in Brooklyn.

This season, Russell has appeared in 29 games (10 starts) while averaging 12.4 points and 4.7 assists. For the Lakers, Finney-Smith will provide more wing depth as they sit right in the middle of the playoff field at 18-13. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds over 20 games with the Nets this season, serving as a respectable 3-and-D role player.

Milton scored 7.4 points per game in his first season for Brooklyn after being involved in the New York Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges in July. Lewis, a second-round pick in 2023, played sparingly in his two seasons with the Lakers. The rebuilding Nets, who sit at 12-19, could provide a bigger opportunity as their eyes are set on the future.

The trade is a significant move for both teams, with the Lakers looking to bolster their playoff chances and the Nets focusing on rebuilding for the future. The addition of Russell, Lewis, and the three second-round picks will provide the Nets with a solid foundation to build upon.

On the other hand, the Lakers will be looking to integrate Finney-Smith and Milton into their lineup, with Finney-Smith providing a much-needed boost to their wing depth. With the trade deadline approaching, it will be interesting to see if either team makes any further moves to shore up their roster.

One thing is certain, however - the NBA trade season is heating up, and this trade is just the beginning. As teams look to make their move and bolster their chances of making a deep playoff run, fans can expect plenty of action in the coming weeks.